George Elliott Clarke
George Elliott Clarke, OC (born February 12, 1960) is a Canadian poet and playwright. His work largely explores and chronicles the experience and history of the Black Canadian community of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, creating a cultural geography that Clarke refers to as "Africadia". Life Family Clarke is a 7th-generation African Canadian, descended from African American refugees from the War of 1812 who escaped to the British and were relocated to Nova Scotia. He is a great-nephew of Canadian opera singer Portia White, politician Bill White, and labor union leader Jack White. Youth and education Born to William and Geraldine Clarke in Three Mile Plains, Nova Scotia, Clarke has spent much of his career writing about the black communities of that province. Clarke earned a B.A. honors degree in English from the University of Waterloo in 1984, an M.A. degree in English from Dalhousie University in 1989, and a Ph.D. degree in English from Queen’s University in 1993. Career Clarke worked as a parliamentary assistant to Howard McCurdy, MP, in Ottawa.Kamboureli, Smaro (1996). Making a Difference: Canadian Multicultural Literature. Toronto, Oxford University Press He also taught for a time in the African-American Studies department at Duke University. Clarke is a sought-after conference speaker and is active in poetry circles. Clarke was recognized for collecting and promoting stories of African writers and poets. He lives in Toronto and began teaching Canadian and African diasporic literature in 1999 at University of Toronto. He views “Africadian” literature as “literal and liberal — I canonize songs and sonnets, histories and homilies.” Clarke, George Elliott, Fire On The Water: Anthology of Black Nova Scotian Writing, Volume One. (1991). Pottersfield Press. Porters Lake, Nova Scotia Clark has stated that he found further writing inspiration in the 1970s and his “individualist poetic scored with implicit social commentary” came from the ‘Gang of Seven’ intellectuals, “poet-politicos: jazz trumpeter Miles Davis, troubadour-bard Bob Dylan, libertine lyricist Irving Layton, guerilla leader and poet Mao Zedong, reactionary modernist Ezra Pound, black Power orator Malcolm X and the Right Honourable Pierre Elliott Trudeau.”http://www.gaspereau.com Though flawed, Clarke found “as a whole, the group’s blunt talk, suave styles, acerbic independence, raunchy macho, feisty lyricism, singing heroic and a scarf-and-beret chivalry quite, well, liberating.” Writing Clarke’s literary emphasis is on the perspectives of the African descendents in Canada and Nova Scotia, focusing on the African American slaves’ descendents who settled in the East coast of Nova Scotia, whom he calls “Africadian.” He writes that it is a word that he “minted from “Africa” and “Acadia” (the old name for Nova Scotia and New Brunswick), to denote the Black populations of the Maritimes and especially of Nova Scotia”.Clarke, George Elliott, Fire On The Water: Anthology of Black Nova Scotian Writing, Volume One (1991) Clarke maintains that Africadians originated in 1783 and 1815, when Black Loyalists and refugees arrived in Nova Scotia. Clarke continues to address and challenge the historic encounters with racism, segregated areas, discrimination, hatred, forced relocation and a loss of a sense of identity and a sense of belonging experienced by the Black descendents though they had settled in Canada for hundreds of years. Black immigrations to and within Canada have been compared to a biblical journey beginning with Lamentations and ending with Exodus.Tracey, Lindalee (1999). A Scattering of Seeds: The Creation of Canada. Toronto: McArthur & Company Similarly, Clarke explores specific beliefs, longings and experience of oppression and resistance, the desire for safety, freedom, equality and other basic human rights, shared among the immigrants, historically and contemporarily. In his anthology Fire On The Water Clarke uses biblical timeline, Genesis, Psalms and Proverbs and Revelation to present Black writings and authors born within a specific period. These names reflect the Africadians’ and other Black peoples’ forebears and the first singers' own preferences for singing “the Lord’s song in this strange land.”Clarke, George Elliott, Fire On The Water: Anthology of Black Nova Scotian Writing, Volume One (1991) Clarke is known for his lyrical style and his other intellectual contributions involve his ability to combine literary criticism and theatrical forte and his continuance of the themes of cultural inclusiveness and Canadian iconic symbolism. In his 2007 play Trudeau: Long March, Shining Path, Clark features his Liberal hero Trudeau (1919–2000) describing him as “the Shakespearean character: … He’s a figure about whom it is almost impossible to say anything definitive, because he is encompassed by so many contradictions but that’s what makes him interesting.” In presenting a multicultural Trudeau on the international stage, Clarke seeks to capture the human dimensions, the personality of Trudeau rather than his politics so as to emphasize the dialogues among key characters to “show the people as people not just exponents of ideas”.(http://www.cbc.ca/arts/stroy/2006/07/12) Recognition Clarke has received honorary degrees from Dalhousie University (LL.D.), the University of New Brunswick (Litt.D.), the University of Alberta (Litt.D.), and the University of Waterloo (Litt.D.). In 2001 Clarke won the Governor General's Award for poetry for his book Execution Poems.George Elliott Clarke, CanLit Poets, Canadian Literature, Web, July 6, 2012. Clarke's Whylah Falls won the 1991 Archibald Lampman Award for poetry.Laurence Steven, Whylah Falls, Canadian Encyclopedia, December 15, 2013, Historica Canada.Web, Mar. 8, 2019. Wylah Falls was also chosen for the CBC's inaugural Canada Reads competition in 2002, where it was championed by author Nalo Hopkinson.Whylah Falls, Canada Reads, CBC. Web, Mar. 8, 2019. Clarke was a featured writer/instructor at the 2007 Maritime Writers' Workshop & Literary Festival in Fredericton, New Brunswick. On 16 January 2008 Clarke was made an honorary Fellow of the Haliburton Literary Society]], the oldest literary society in North America, at the University of King's College, Halifax. He was also inducted as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2008. In 2009 Clarke was a co-recipient of the William P. Hubbard Award for Race Relations from the City of Toronto for his outstanding achievements and commitment in making a distinct difference in racial relations in Toronto. Clarke was cited for "his local and national leadership role in creating an understanding and awareness of African and black culture and excellence in his contribution to redefining culture.” In December 2012, Clarke was appointed Toronto's 4th Poet Laureate. Awards *1979: Honourable Mention, Atlantic Writing Competition (Adult Poetry), Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia *1981: First Prize, Atlantic Writing Competition (Adult Poetry), Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia *1983: Second Prize, Bliss Carman Poetry Award, Banff Centre *1991: Archibald Lampman Award for Poetry, Ottawa Independent Writers *1998: Portia White Prize, Nova Scotia Arts Council *1998:Bellagio Centre Fellow, Rockefeller Foundation, New York City *1999: Alumni Achievement Award, University of Waterloo *2002: Governor General's Award for Poetry, for Execution Poems *National Magazine Gold Award for Poetry *2004: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Achievement Award, Black Theatre Workshop *2006: Pierre Elliott Trudeau Fellowship Prize, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation *2006: Dartmouth Book Award for Fiction *2006: Frontieras Poesis Premuil Prize, Poesis Magazine, International Poetry Festival, Satu Mare, Romania *2006: Order of Nova Scotia *2007: Longlisted for the IMPAC Award, for George and Rue *2008: Officer of the Order of Canada *2009: Shortlisted, Dartmouth Book Award for Fiction *2010: Shortlisted, Acorn-Plantos Award for People’s Poetry Publications Poetry * Saltwater Spirituals and Deeper Blues. Porter’s Lake, NS: Pottersfield Press, 1983. ISBN 0-919001-12-2 * Whylah Falls. Winlaw, BC: Polestar Press, 1990. ISBN 0-919591-57-4 ** (2nd edition) Vancouver: Polestar Books, 2000. ISBN 1-896095-50-X ** (3rd edition) Wolfville, NS: Gaspereau Press, 2010. * Provençal Songs. Ottawa: Magnum Book Store, 1993. * Lush Dreams, Blue Exile: Fugitive poems, 1978-1993. Lawrencetown Beach, NS: Pottersfield Press, 1994. ISBN 0-919001-83-1 * Provençal Songs II. Ottawa: Above/ground Press, 1997. * Gold Indigoes. Durham, NS: Carolina Wren Press, 2000. ISBN 0-932112-40-4 * Execution Poems: The Black Acadian Tragedy of George and Rue. Execution Poems. Wolfville , N.S.: Gaspereau Press, 2001. ISBN 1-894031-48-2 * Blue. Vancouver: Raincoat Books, 2001. Poetry. ISBN 1-55192-414-5 * Illuminated Verses. Toronto: Canadian Scholar Press—Kellom, 2005. ISBN 1-55130-280-2 * Black. Vancouver: Raincoast Books, 2006. ISBN 1551929031 * The Gospel of X, a poem, Montreal: Vallum Society for Arts & Letters Education, 2010. Plays * Whylah Falls: The Play. Toronto: Playwrights Canada Press, 1999. ISBN 0-88754-565-3 ** also published in Testifyin’: Contemporary African-Canadian drama Vol. 1. (edited by Djanet Sears). Toronto: Playwrights Canada Press, 2000. * Beatrice Chancy. Victoria: Polstar Books, 1999. ISBN 1-896095-94-1 * Québécité: A jazz fantasia in three cantos. Kentville, NS: Gaspereau Press, 2003. ISBN 1-894031-74-1 * Trudeau: Long march, shining path. Kentville, NS: Gaspereau Press, 2007."George Elliott Clarke," Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, Web, July 1, 2012. ISBN 1-55447-037-4 Novels * George and Rue. Toronto: HarperCollins, 2005; London: Random House, 2005; New York: Carroll & Graf, 2006. ISBN 0-00-225539-1 / ISBN 0-00-648569-3 Non-fiction * Eyeing the North Star: Perspectives of African-Canadian literature. Washington, DC: Canadian Embassy, 1997. Monograph. * Treason of the Black Intellectuals? Seagram Lecture, 1998. Montreal: McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, 1999. Monograph. * Odysseys Home: Mapping African-Canadian literature. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2002. Essays and reviews. Edited * Fire on the Water: An anthology of black Nova Scotian writing, Volume One. Lawrencetown Beach, NS: Pottersfield Press, 1991. ISBN 0-919001-67-X * Fire on the Water: An anthology of black Nova Scotian writing, Volume Two. Lawrencetown Beach, NS: Pottersfield Press, 1992. ISBN 0-919001-71-8 * A Lifetime of Making: Ralph and Ada Cromwell. Halifax: Mount Saint Vincent University Art Gallery, 1992. Essays. * Border Lines: Contemporary poetry in English (edited by Eds. J.A. Wainwright, Clarke, Ruth Grogan, Victor Li, R. Ross, A. Wallace). Toronto: Copp-Clark, 1995. * Eyeing the North Star: Directions in African-Canadian literature. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1997. ISBN 0-7710-2125-9 * The Dalhousie Review (guest editor). Africadian Special Issue. 77.2 (summer, 1997), 1999. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy Athabasca University.Bibliography of Works by George Elliott Clarke, English-Canadian Writers, Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, Athabasca University, Web, July 1, 2012.. Audio / video *''Lush Dreams, Blue Exile'' (cassette). Porters Lake, NS: Pottersfield Soundtracks, 1994. *''Whylah Falls'' (cassette). Fredericton, NB: BTC Audiobooks, 2001. Except where noted, discographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:George Elliot Clarke + Audiobook, World Cat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Sep. 9, 2015. See also *Black Canadian poets *List of Canadian poets *List of English-language playwrights *Timeline of Canadian poetry References Notes External links ;Poems *excerpt from "Wylah Falls" *George Elliott Clarke at Canadian Literature (1 poem) *George Elliott Clarke at Canadian Poetry Online - profile & 7 poems *George Elliott Clarke at the Poetry Foundation *Selected Poetry of George Elliott Clarke (1960-) (19 poems) at Representative Poetry Online. ;Prose *On "This Part May Be Cited as the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms" at Library and Archives Canada ;Books * Bibliography of Works by George Elliott Clarke ;Audio/video *George Elliott Clarke at YouTube * Poet of the Month from CBC Words at Large (February 2007) ;About *George Elliott Clarke in the Canadian Encyclopedia *Goerge Elliott Clarke at Canadian Books and Authors *George Elliott Clarke at English-Canadian Writers, Athabaska University. *"Transcript of interview with [[Ramona Koval]", ABC Radio National, recorded Montreal, Blue Metropolis Literary Festival, April 2005]Ramona Koval * Book Review: George Elliott Clarke’s George & Rue Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:Black Canadian writers Category:Black Nova Scotians Category:Canadian dramatists and playwrights Category:Canadian literary critics Category:Canadian novelists Category:Canadian people of American descent Category:Canadian poets Category:Dalhousie University alumni Category:Duke University faculty Category:Governor General's Award winning poets Category:Writers from Nova Scotia Category:Officers of the Order of Canada Category:People from Halifax, Nova Scotia Category:People from Hants County, Nova Scotia Category:Queen's University alumni Category:University of Alberta alumni Category:University of Waterloo alumni Category:University of Toronto faculty Category:20th-century poets Category:21st-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets Category:Poets Laureate of Toronto Category:Black Canadian poets